Lectures

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All in-person programs will be held at the New Hampshire Historical Society, 30 Park Street, Concord, unless otherwise noted.

Book Talk: Northern Voices *FREE*
Saturday, April 27, 2024, 2 p.m.

Mike Pride’s ninth and final book, Northern Voices, is fresh off the presses, published a year after Pride’s death last April. It tells the story of Pride's relationships with eight distinguished poets he covered in the pages of the Concord Monitor and the ways in which New Hampshire’s natural beauty and hard realities shaped these poets’ lives and work. Pride’s friend and longtime colleague, Mark Travis, saw the book through to publication on Pride’s behalf. Join Travis as he talks about Pride’s last project and the world of words it reveals. Copies of Pride’s book will be available for purchase. This is a free program; no registration required.

Spring Lecture Series: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Lecture: “The Boston & Maine Railroad in New Hampshire, 1945 to 1983,” by Rick Kfoury
Thursday, May 2, 2024, 6 p.m.

Although the Boston & Maine Railroad’s presence in New Hampshire began to wane in the years following World War II, its daily operations still held great importance for Granite Staters. Rick Kfoury, president of the Boston & Maine Historical Society, shares stories, images, film, and documents—some of them never before seen publicly—of the B&M’s freight and passenger operations in New Hampshire in the mid-20th century. The series is offered both in-person and virtually lectures and is sponsored by Grappone Automotive Group and Sanel NAPA. Admission is free for New Hampshire Historical Society members; nonmembers are invited to join the Society to enjoy this and other membership benefits. Advance registration is required for everyone (whether in-person or virtual). Members will receive a brochure in the mail with registration information or can register online through Eventbrite.

Lecture: “Teddy Roosevelt’s Nobel Prize,” by Charles Doleac
Saturday, May 4, 2024, 2 p.m. 

In August 1905, diplomats from Russia and Japan met in Portsmouth to negotiate an end to the Russo-Japanese War, which had been raging in the Far East for more than a year. Although few might remember this war today, it foreshadowed in many ways the modern warfare that came to characterize the 20th century. President Theodore Roosevelt orchestrated the talks that led to the signing of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his involvement. Join Chuck Doleac, the founder of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty Forum, to learn about this fascinating chapter in international diplomacy and the role New Hampshire played. Admission is free for New Hampshire Historical Society members; $7 for nonmembers. No registration required.

Spring Lecture Series: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Lecture: “The Golden Age of Airline Service in the Granite State,” by Jeff Rapsis
Thursday, May 9, 2024, 6 p.m.

The years following World War II saw a rapid increase in air passenger service throughout the nation, with New Hampshire being no exception. Communities like Keene, Berlin, Concord, and Laconia enjoyed scheduled passenger flights to Boston, New York, and beyond. Join Jeff Rapsis, executive director of the New Hampshire Aviation Museum, to explore this period in the mid-20th century when the Granite State enjoyed a Golden Age of air passenger service that connected New Hampshire’s small towns to the nation's air transportation system. The series is offered both in-person and virtually and is sponsored by Grappone Automotive Group and Sanel NAPA. Admission is free for New Hampshire Historical Society members; nonmembers are invited to join the Society to enjoy this and other membership benefits. Advance registration is required for everyone (whether in-person or virtual). Members will receive a brochure in the mail with registration information or can register online through Eventbrite.

Contact

Zoe Binette
Visitor Services Coordinator
603-228-6688
zbinette@nhhistory.org

Contact